anderson



Feb. 7, 1956 F. B. ANDERSON 2,733,483

EVAPORATOR DOOR AND HINGE ASSEMBLY Filed March 51, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR. /-'Z akin C! 51 144404515 0/! BY ATTOf/Vi/ Feb. 7, 1956 F. B. ANDERSON 2,733,483

EVAPORATOR DOOR AND HINGE ASSEMBLY Filed March 31, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

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United States Patent Florence B. Anderson, Winnetka, Ill., assignor to Motor Products Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of New York a Application March 31 1952, Serial No. 279,640 15 Claims. c1. 20-35 This invention relates generally to refrigerators and refers more particularlyto an improved evaporator compartment door and hinge assembly therefor.

One of the objects of this invention is to pivotally or hingedly' support the evaporator compartment door on the liner of the. refrigerator cabinet independently of the evaporator compartment. 'Hencethe relation between the top of the jevaporator compartment doorand the adjacent wall of the refrigerator cabinet may be moreclosely controlled, and the danger of ice accumulation at the pivots or hinge mountings is less than in constructions where the door is mounted onthe evaporator compartment.

Another object of this invention is to provide an evaporator compartment door comprising laterally spaced inner and outer panels molded from plastic or some equival'ent thermal insulating material, and preferably having insulating material disposed in the space between said panels. Such a construction not only renders it possible to produce the door panels by inexpensive molding operations, but in addition, retards the formation of ice or frost on the door. 1 7

Another object of this invention is to provide a door normally urged to its closed position relative to the evaporator compartment by a torsional spring fixed to the door and having end portions actuated by the hinge pins or trunnions for the door. More particularly the end portions of the torsional spring extend into bores provided in the hinge pins or trunnions, and are provided with lateral projections engageable in open transversely extending slots in the inner ends of the trunnions. Thus the torsional door closing spring is tensioned upon swinging the evaporator door toward its open position and biases the door toward its closed position.

Another object of this invention is to provide the door with reinforcing members in the form of arms secured to opposite sides of the door within the space between the door panels, and journalled on the trunnions to pivotally support the door without unduly stressing the door panels. A

Another object is to provide an evaporator door structure composed of relatively few parts capable of being readily manufactured, assembled and installed. I

' The foregoing aswell as other objects will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a'fragmentary front elevational view of a refrigerator showing the door in its open position;

Figure'2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1; Y a

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the evaporator compartment showing the door in its open position;

T Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of the evaporator-door andhingeassembly; I Figure '5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2; Y

2,733,483 Patented Feb. 7, 1956 2, V Figures 6 to 10 inclusive are respectively sectional views taken on the lines 6-6, 7-7, 88, 9-9, and 10-10 of Figure 5; v 1

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective view taken on the line 1111 of Figure l; and L Figure 12 is a fragmentary perspective view taken on the line 12-42 of Figure 1.

In Figure l of the drawings there is illustrated the top portion of a domestic refrigerator having aconventional cabinet 15 provided with an opening 16 at the:front and having a door 17 for closing the opening 16. Supported within the cabinet 15 adjacent the top of the latter is an evaporator compartment 18 having an opening at the front registering with the opening 16 in the cabinet and Figure 1 that this compartment extends substantiallyfrom one side wall to the other cabinet. v 7

As' shown in the figures, the closure 20 for the evap orator compartment 18 is in the form of a door having an outer panel 22 and an inner panel 23 spaced laterally from the outer panel to provide a space 24 of substantial width between the'panels. To minimizeaccumulation of frost-or ice on the closure or door 20, bothpanels 22 and 23 are preferably formed of a plastic or some equivalent material having thermal insulating characteristics, and a heat insulating material 25 is provided Within the space 24 between said panels. The design of the door panels 22 and 23 is such as to permit them to be formed by a relatively simple molding process, and hence each panel is of one piece construction.

As shown in Figure 8, the outer panel 22 has a flange 26 turned laterally inwardly from the bottom edge thereof, and the inner panel 23 has a flange 27 turned laterally inwardly from the bottom edge thereof. Preferably, the flange'27 overlies the flange 26 and is provided at longitudinally spaced points thereof with thickened portions 28 for receiving fastener elements 29 whichextend upwardly through the flange 26. As shown in Figures 5 and 9, the flange 26 may also be recessed to'receive the heads of the fastener elements 29 so that the latter are substantially concealed from view.

As shown in'Figure 6 of the drawings, flanges30 are turned laterally inwardly from opposite side edges of the front panel 22, and extend into abutting engagement with the adjacent edge portions of the inner panel 23. The side flanges 30 form a continuation of the bottom flange 26 and provide the opposite side walls of the door 20. Suitable reinforcing ribs 31 project outwardly from the inner panel '23 and respectively extend along opposite side edges of the inner panel. Referring again to Figure 6 of the drawings, it will be noted that the ribs 31 are spaced laterally inwardly from. the adjacent flanges 30, and are attached to the flanges 30 by fastener elements 32 having head portions positioned in countersunk recesses formed inthe flanges 30. Additional reinforcing ribs 33 (Figure 5) are also formed on the inner panel 23, and these-ribs are arranged to effectively reinforce the door 20. 3 A

The door is further reinforced by metal arms 34 respectively positioned within the spaces provided between the sideflanges 30 on the outer panel 22 and the ribs31 on the inner panel 23. The arms 34 are secured in place by the fastener elements'32, and the lower ends 35 are of the liner 21 of the refrigerator offset laterally outwardly in the manner shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. The adjacent or lower ends'of the flanges 30 are slottedor cut away as at 36 to provide the clearance required for the offset portions 35 at the lowerends of the reinforcing arms 34.

. axial alignment.

it .will be noted that the inner panel 23 has an outwardly projecting rib 37 spaced downwardly from the top edge to provide a seat, and also has an outwardly extending rib -38 spaced downwardly from the rib 37. The outer edge portion of the rib 38 is turned upwardly to form with the inner surface of the panel 23 an upwardly opening channel 39. The top portion of the outer panel 22 is fashioned to provide an inwardly opening channelshaped section 40 having the inner edge of the {top flange seated on the rib 37 and abutting the inner panel 23. The bottom leg 42 of the channel-shaped section 40 extends inwardly beyond the outer panel 22 and is turned downwardly to form a hook 43. The hook 43 is engageable in the upwardly opening channel 3 9 on the inner panel, and cooperates with the seat or rib 3 7 to hold the topedge portions of the door panels in assembled relationship.

As shown particularly in Figures ll and 12 of the drawings; the bottom leg portion e t2 .of the channelshapedsection 40 also projects'outwardly beyond the top edge of the outer panel 22, and the latter is embossed in an inward direction intermediate opposite side edges of the door to'provide a recess 44 directly below the channel section .40. The arrangement is such to provide a convenient handle 45 for manipulating .the door 20 of the evaporator compartment 1 8. It is pointed out that the bottom leg portion .42 of the channel-shaped section 40 is'omittedin the region .of the embossed portion 44 to facilitate gripping the door 20 adjacent the -top of the latter. n will also be noted 1that the uptuined flange on therih 38 isalso omitted opposite the embossed portion 44 and that an addit onal reinforcing rib v.47 is (pro.-

videdon the inner panel 23 between ,theribs 37 and38 in o de to fu ther Streng hQn the doo in e l s o 9? h handle 45. i

The evaporator ,door 20 is .hingedly supported at its bottom edge to enable outward swinging .movement of the doorirelative to the evaparator compartment 18. In the present instance .a pair of plates 48, are respectively secured to oppositesides of torcabinet, and pivot pinsor trunnions49 are respectively secured ,to the plates 48. place by fastener elements 50, and the trunnions .49 project inwardly from opposite side walls of thediner 21 in The ,trunnions .are tubular in .eross section, and are fashioned with a-t ahsversely extending slot 51 .attheinner or vfreeends thereof. As-shownin Figure 2 .of the drawings, the .trunnions 49 respect ively project through openings 52 formed in the pfiset portions 35 of :the reinforcing arms :34. Thus the arms 34 are respeetively journalledonthe-trunnions .49 to enable swinging movement of the'door 20;about the aligned axes of the trunnions 49. 'Ihetextentflof opening movement-of the :dooris limited by the engagement of projections 53 on the lower ends of the anus '34 with stops SA .re-

spectively formed on rthe plates .48. The arrangement is such that when the evaporator door 20 is in 'its' fully opened position, the projections =53 respectively engage the undersides of the stops 54 on theplates 48, and prevent further movement of the evaporator door 20 in V a door opening direction.

the liner 21 for .the refrigerat The plates 48 are secured in 4 straight sections 60 positioned in substantial alignment with the journals 49. The straight sections 60 extend along the bottom flange 26 of the door 20, and the vertical reinforcing ribs 33 on the inner panel are slotted as at 61 to provide clearance for the straight sections 60.

If ir d th s ra $F= i 99 lhe s i g y be clamped to the inner door panel 23 at opposite sides f t haped por ion 5.6 y c mps .61- As sh wn in Figure 8 of the .drawings, each .clamp .61" comprises laterally spaced projections 62 extending outwardly from the n e a e 7 an a sp n was .6 h qti y secured to the projections 62. 'The spring washers 63 respectively engage the straight sections .60 of the spring at the outer sides thereof and hold the same in position.

The extremities of the straight sections 60 project ax y his the .t hh i ns 9,. n ar v rs ent as at 64. The reversely bent portions 64 actually provide lateral p on 01. the xh m t hf th s rai h p i sections 60, and these projections assume positions within the s t 51 in e tm i ns in r v r I pr ven re ve t on o the un o an st a h s hh s 6.0 o th h mb th tw hihhs .4 are es st ve a hd n th e t em e 9f th t ai t pr n s sns 4 9P1111 p a es 4. ar .shh sq iqht secured by t e ih t h lhmsht 0 t th lihs 2. 9 t rshi sra q hh ih In a sqmpl shi i r sul th s rin .55 i w iq hd thshh s .sa eht so ha t e t e is ,hhhhal y held its closed position relative to the open side 19 of h e a o at m arthsehtf s me open n PF 1116 g h the .d h is h lhht b the s i s hh h9g th ima ine i wi h a re iate tha t ev p rath s m hrh sh 419M2 9 t ihshdl ShPP- n on the liner 21. of the refrigerator cabinet 15 independently of the evaporator compartment 13. This arrangement is 2 2 ar d 2 3 are formed of .a plastic material, hndare rein- The :evaporatordoor Ztlisnormally urged to its closed position with respect to the opening 19 at the front -of; t :he

. evaporator compartment by -a torsional spring 55- located within :the-space 24 vbetweenthe'inner and outer door panels. The spring 55 has an inverted [substantially u-shaped portion 56 positioned intermediate the ends of the door, and 'is secured to the inner door panel 23. Referring again '10 Figure =5 of the drawingsfit will -be noted-that rt-heitop' 57 of :the :U-shaped portion 56 abuts a.- .I1tr,ally .idisposed reinforcing-rib -58 on the inner door penel; end the dogs of athe inverted .uxShaped portion flrespectively extend between projections 590n athc-qinnor .99 'I';P Th ltswh en s 51f the slag portions of the spring 55 are turned laterally outwardly to form forced by the ,members 3.4 .which also serve as a support for ;the door on the trunn 1ons A9. Thus the reinforcing mbe s 3 har y th .maiq o i n h th We gh 'th door. and ,thereby prevent breaking or craekingof thedoor panels during use. it will further be .noted thatthe constn qt qh .Q -99 sh a w shhh h sam t h readily and inexpensively rnanufiactured.

What .I, clai1n ,as .my invention is:

1h re r h h s hihs z huh ali e ahsva prat P msh har i d said lihs lhh h in sna d i ne i hnth nahsls an.i wa d y-ar n s bst ntial y channel-shaped bordering portion extending along the toppf ther l ts n ae thhs i a tihstre tica y spaced t pand h omrfl h estth hqt qm lan e ext nd g-i wardly b on the Outer pahslaa fl h c projecting dQwnwardw' qn h nne e g h t e t m fl ng st rmi g a hook, aseat on --the inner panel adjacent the top .edgezthereof and enga-geahle .with .the .top flange .of t-he lb01d1ing.-pOI'tlOl1, and means on the inner panel forming an-upwardly.open ing recess for removably .receiving said hook.

2. The construction defined in claim :llwherein the outer panel is embossed inwardly intermediate .opposite .side edges and directly below the bordering .portiondo .form with the :latter a'handle.

. 3.. A :hollow insulating door .construction comprising front andrear rectangular panels, abutting inwardly extendingdlangesalongall gfour corresponding edges of said panels; interlocking hook constructions on said panel s in the space defined hy said flanges and retained in hooked oo f t hsi h the spr h 5.5.? .qlqs ng naive 4. A hollow insulating door construction comprising front and rear rectangular panels having abutting inwardly extending flanges along all four sides thereof and interlocking hook constructions in the space defined by said flanges, said flanges shaped to prevent separation between said hook constructions so long as said flanges are engaged, and fastening elements extending through the abutting flanges at the side of said door opposite to said hook constructions.

5. A hollow door construction having mounting strips along the ends thereof within said door, said door having openings adjacent corresponding ends of said strips, said strips having apertured mounting portions extending outwardly through said openings, aligned mounting pins extending through the openings in said mounting portions and said door, and a balance spring having its ends fixedly secured to said pins and including a central portion bent laterally from the axis of said pins to exert turning force on said door about the axis of said pins.

6. A hollow door having aligned openings in opposite edges adjacent a third edge of said door, mounting pins extending through said openings, said pins having transversely extending slots at their inner ends and recesses inwardly of the bottoms of said slots, a torsion spring in said door having a central portion looped to engage inner door surfaces remote from the axis of said pins, and aligned end portions extending axially of said pins, the ends of said spring being seated in said recesses, and the end portions of said springs including lateral extensions in said slots to prevent rotation of the ends of said spring.

7. Structure as defined in claim 6, said lateral extensions being formed by laterally bent portions of said spring.

8. A door comprising a front and a rear panel; said rear panel having a forwardly extending top flange spaced slightly below its upper edge, a forwardly extending hooked flange adjacent its upper edge but below said top flange and terminating at its forward edge in an upwardly projecting hook, and a forwardly extending bottom flange spaced slightly above its bottom edge, said front panel having a rearwardly extending top edge portion terminating in an edge seated on the top of the said top flange of said rear panel, a rearwardly extending flange below its top edge having a depending hook along its rear edge engaged over the hook on the hooked flange of said rear panel, and a rearwardly extending bottom flange engaging below the bottom flange of said rear panel; and fastening means extending through said bottom flanges and effective to prevent separation between said panels.

9. Structure as defined in claim 8, said front panel having'a recessed portion adjacent its top edge, the upper surface of said recess having an opening therethrough providing a finger hold for swinging said door forwardly.

10. A hollow door comprising a rear panel having a substantially continuous forwardly projecting flange extending around its periphery and spaced inwardly from the edges of said panel and having an upwardly open, forwardly projecting channel means extending across the pane1 adjacent to but below the top portion of the flange thereof, a front panel having a substantially continuous rearwardly projecting peripheral flange engaging the front surface of said rear panel outwardly of the forwardly projecting flange thereof, said front panel having rearwardly projecting hook means adjacent to but below the top portion of the flange thereon, said hook means including downwardly projecting parts received in said channel means.

11. A door as defined in claim 10 in which the top and bottom portions of the rearwardly projecting peripheral flange on said front panel respectively engage the upper surface of the top portion and the lower surface of the bottom portion of the forwardly projecting flange on said rear panel. a

12. A hollow door and mounting structure therefor comprising a rear panel having a forwardly extending horizontal top flange spaced slightly below its top edge to form a seat, a forwardly extending upwardly open channel immediately below said top flange, and a forwardly extending horizontal bottom flange spaced slightly above its bottom edge; a front panel having a rearwardly extending hook portion adjacent its upper edge received in said channel, rearwardly extending top and bottom flanges respectively received on said seat and engaged beneath the bottom flange of said rear panel; and fastening means connecting the bottom flanges of both of said panels.

13. A hollow door and mounting structure therefor comprising a rear panel having a forwardly extending upwardly open channel extending longitudinally of its upper edge, forwardly extending vertical side flanges spaced inwardly from its ends, and a forwardly extending bottom flange spaced upwardly from its bottom edge; a front panel having at its rear side and adjacent its upper edge a downwardly extending hook portion received in said channel, rearwardly extending vertical side flanges at its ends overlying the side flanges on said rear panel, and a rearwardly extending bottom flange at its bottom edge engaged beneath the bottom flange of said rear panel; and fastening means connecting the bottom flanges of said panels.

14. Structure as defined in claim 13, said vertical flanges at each end of said door being spaced apart, mounting strips received between said last mentioned flanges, the lower portions of the vertical flanges on said front panel terminating above the bottom of said door to form openings, the lower portions of said mounting strips extending outwardly through said openings and having pin receiving openings.

15. Structure as defined tending through the ings in said door.

in claim 14, and pivot pins exopenings in said strips and the open- Refercnces Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 15, France Jan. 30, France June 29, 

